Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus(born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992) is an American singer-songwriter, actress,musician and author. Cyrus is best known for starring as the title character in the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana. Following the success of Hannah Montana, in October 2006, a soundtrack CD was released in which she sang eight songs from the show. Cyrus' solo music career began with the release of her debut album, Meet Miley Cyrus on June 23, 2007, which included her first top ten single "See You Again". Her second album, Breakout, was released on July 22, 2008. Breakout is Cyrus' first album that does not involve the Hannah Montana franchise. Both albums debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200. In 2008, she appeared in the Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert film. Cyrus also starred in Bolt in 2008, and recorded "I Thought I Lost You" for the soundtrack for which she earned a Golden Globe nomination. She starred in the film spin-off of Hannah Montana, titled Hannah Montana: The Movie which was released on April 10, 2009. In 2008, Cyrus was listed in Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in The World. Forbes magazine ranked her #35 on the "Celebrity 100" list with earnings of $25 million in 2008. Her rank improved to #29 in 2009. Early life Cyrus was born in Nashville, Tennessee on November 23, 19928 to Leticia "Tish" (née Finley) and country singer Billy Ray Cyrus.2 Cyrus has five siblings. Her elder siblings Trace and Brandi Cyrus were Tish's children from a previous relationship, whom Billy Ray adopted when they were very young. Trace is a vocalist and guitarist for the electronic rock band Metro Station, while Brandi has played guitar for Cyrus' concerts and formed a band with The Secret Life of the American Teenager star Megan Park. Cyrus also has an older half-brother, Christopher Cody, from her father's previous relationship. Cyrus also has a younger brother, Braison, and a younger sister, Noah, who is also an actress. She is the granddaughter of politician Ron Cyrus.citation needed Cyrus' parents named her Destiny Hope because they believed that she would accomplish great things. She was nicknamed "Smiley", later shortened to "Miley", because she kept smiling as a baby.2 She is of part Cherokee descent. Cyrus attended Heritage Middle School, where she was a cheerleader. She currently attends school at Options For Youth. and studies with a private tutor on the set of her TV show. Cyrus grew up on her parents' farm outside of Nashville, Tennessee where she regularly attended The People's Church. Career 2001-2005: Early work Cyrus' early career was marked by minor roles. At the age of nine, Cyrus became interested on pursuing a career in acting. During her family's four-year period life in Toronto, Canada she began taking classes at the Armstrong Acting Studio.19 Cyrus' first acting role was as a minor guest star on her father's television series Doc, in which she played a girl named Kylie. In 2003, Cyrus played "Young Ruthie" in Tim Burton's Big Fish and was credited to by her birth name. Cyrus began auditioning for the role of the "best friend" in a Disney Channel about a "secret pop star" when she was twelve.21 Disney Channel executives judged her to be too young. However, Cyrus was persistent in her desire to be part of the series, so Disney called her back for further auditions. She eventually also auditioned for the protagonist, Zoe Stewart which was then altered to her own name. According to Disney Channel's president Gary Marsh, Cyrus was chosen for the show because of her energetic and lively performance and was seen as a person who "loves every minute of life,"22 with the "everyday relatability sic of Hilary Duff and the stage presence of Shania Twain."17 Cyrus spent several years in attempt of lose her Southern accent, though Disney later became interested in including it to the storyline. Later, Cyrus had to audition her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, for the role of the main character's father.23 The show, like many on the network, focuses on adolescence, meanwhile incorporating a "secret identity" as a pop star and music. 2006-June 2008: Hannah Montana Cyrus performing as Hannah Montana during the Best of Both Worlds Tour. Hannah Montana, which originally aired on March 24, 2006 in the United States, was a high ratings hit with an average of more than 4.0 million viewers per episode. Cyrus' participation in the show led her to becoming highly popular with children and teenage audiences which commenced an even more successful career in music. After three seasons, the series currently airs on Disney Channel and in 2010 production for a fourth and final season will commence. On April 4, Cyrus debuted as a recording artist when the fourth edition of DisneyMania was released. Cyrus sang a cover of James Baskett's "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah," used in the 1946 animated film, Song of the South. Later, Walt Disney Records released the first Hannah Montana soundtrack, on October 24, 2006. The soundtrack included eight of the songs that Cyrus performed as Hannah Montana and one in which is credited to Cyrus, as her own persona, with Billy Ray Cyrus. The album debuted at #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 selling 281,000 copies in its first week, beating out such artists as John Legend and rock band My Chemical Romance.25 where it remained for two weeks.26 It was the eighth best selling album of 2006 in the U.S., with nearly two million copies sold that year.27 The album was later re-released twice — a Holiday Edition featuring Cyrus' cover of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and a Special Edition featuring "Nobody's Perfect", the first appeared on 2007 album Disney Channel Holiday. Cyrus also opened for The Cheetah Girls, performing on 20 dates of their 39-city tour.28 Once again, Cyrus recorded a remake version of a classic Disney song "Part of Your World" for DisneyMania fifth edition.29 On June 26, 2007, Cyrus released a double album, Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus. The first disc served as the second Hannah Montana soundtrack, while the second disc was Cyrus' debut solo album as herself. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and sold 326,000 copies, selling faster in its first week than the previous soundtrack. On the strength of holiday season sales, the album returned and remained in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 in December on the strength of holiday season sales, and sold more than 700,000 copies during that period.30 The album, having sold more than 3 million copies in the U.S was certified three times Platinum by RIAA.31 The album had five of its songs debut on the Billboard Hot 100, "See You Again" peaked at #10, which also become Cyrus' first song to enter the top ten on the Hot 100.32 Cyrus performing during the Best of Both Worlds Tour. Cyrus also had a brief cameo in High School Musical 2, in which she was credited as "girl at pool" and guest-starred as Yatta on the Disney Channel production The Emperor's New School. Cyrus performed both as herself and in character as Hannah Montana on a North American Best of Both Worlds Tour with 69 total dates, 14 more than previously planned. The Jonas Brothers were the opening act for most of the tour.33 Tour tickets for each date sold out in record time after they went on sale, disappointing a large number of fans.34 The tour was recorded and released to cinemas in Disney Digital 3-D. The concert film brought in $8,651,758 on its opening day, and continued on to gross $31,117,834 to finish off the weekend, making it the highest-grossing opening weekend for a film to be released under 1000 screens, and on July 26, 2008 it was released on Disney Channel.35 After that, Walt Disney Records/Hollywood Records released a live album recorded by Cyrus during this tour. It features seven songs as her character, Hannah Montana, and another seven as herself. The album peaked at number three in the United States.36 July 2008 - present: Breakout and film career Cyrus performed her Golden Globe nominated song, "I Thought I Lost You," during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. On July 2008, Cyrus released her second studio album under her own name, entitled Breakout. Cyrus said Breakout was inspired by "what's been going on in my life in the past year." Cyrus co-wrote all but two songs on the album. Songwriting is what I really want to do with my life forever, I just hope this record showcases that, more than anything, I'm a writer. The album debuted at #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart with a first week sales of about 371,000 copies. As of July 31, 2008 this was the second-biggest sales week of the year for a female artist; Mariah Carey's E=MC² previously sold 463,000 copies in its first week. "7 Things" was the first single to be released from Breakout. The single debuted at number 84 on the Billboard Hot 100. Two weeks later of released, it rose sixty spots from number 70 to number nine. She hosted the 2008 CMT Music Awards with her father in April. In 2008, Cyrus hosted the Teen Choice Awards. Cyrus recorded a version of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" for the 2008 compilation album All Wrapped Up. Cyrus provided the voice of Penny in the 2008 computer-animated feature film, Bolt, a movie about a television dog on his quest to find his owner. On its opening weekend, the film opened #3 with $26,223,128 behind Twilight and Quantum of Solace.45 On its second weekend, it rose to #2 behind Four Christmases with a 1.4% increase. As of February 20, 2009, the film has grossed $113,643,011 in Canada and the United States and $286,244,489 worldwide. Cyrus co-wrote and recorded one of the two original songs to the soundtrack of Bolt, the song also features the other Bolt star John Travolta. Titled "I Thought I Lost You", it was later nominated to a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.48 Cyrus again played the title role in the Hannah Montana film spin-off, Hannah Montana: The Movie which was released on April 10, 2009. The film is in regards to Stewart finding her roots and deciding on which life to choose, her own or as Hannah Montana. The film was received well and has grossed over $152,900,286, worldwide.49 Her single, "The Climb" from the movie's soundtrack peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100, thus becoming her highest charting single since "See You Again" and "7 Things" which charted at #10 and #9 respectively; later "Party in the U.S.A." charted at # 2. The movie's soundtrack became the third album under the franchise to take the lead of the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by the RIAA. Cyrus sits in make-up on the set of The Last Song. Cyrus' role was imagined as a way to introduce her to older audiences. In June 2009, Cyrus changed her TV and movie career representation from United Talent Agency to Creative Artists Agency, which had already represented her for music.51 Also in June, Cyrus began filming her upcoming movie The Last Song, based on a novel by Nicholas Sparks, in which she plays a rebellious teenage girl who spends a summer with her estranged father at his home in a quiet beach town. It is scheduled for release in 2010 and filming ended post 2009 Teen Choice Awards.52 The film was conceived as a "star vehicle" with the intention of introducing Cyrus to an older audiences.53 Cyrus recorded a song with the Jonas Brothers titled "Before the Storm" for their fourth studio album Lines, Vines and Trying Times. She also launched another Hannah Montana soundtrack (for the third season), titled Hannah Montana 3 on July 7, 2009 which brought her her first top ten as Montana and her fourth overall, "He Could Be the One."54 "Party in the U.S.A." was officially released to radio on July 29, 2009.55 The song is from a Wal-Mart exclusive EP entitled The Time of Our Lives which will be released on August 31, 2009.56 It will be released as promotion for Cyrus' clothing line. The song made it to no. 1 on Hot Digital Songs with 226,000 paid downloads, making her the youngest artist to top the chart, which led its big debut on the Billboard Hot 100, where it was placed at number two, topping "The Climb" (that peaked at number four).4057 With this position, Cyrus tied with the Black Eyed Peas for highest debut of 2009. It is also the highest debut by a female solo artist since Carrie Underwood's 2005 song "Inside Your Heaven", which debuted at number one.5859 The song thereby became the "fastest breaking single in Hollywood Records' history."58 Cyrus announced her "2009 North American Tour." The tour will begin on September 14, 2009 in Portland, Oregon and span 45 dates across North America. Eventually moreor dates were announced for the United Kingdom making the tour change names to the "2009/2010 World Tour." The tour will feature the band Metro Station as a special guest.60 Tickets went on sale to the general public on June 13, 2009 and for the UK dates on June 12, 2009.61 In July 2009, Disney acquired the film rights to Aprilynne Pike's novel Wings, in which Cyrus is expected to star.62 Entrepreneurship Cyrus became a spokesperson for Daisy Rock Guitars in 2004, when she was presented with her first Daisy Rock guitar — the Stardust Series Acoustic Electric Pink Sparkle. Disney released a Hannah Montana clothing collection in late summer 2007. Cyrus helped to design some of the pieces from the collection. In December 2007, she was ranked #17 in the list of Forbes Top Twenty Superstar Earners under 25 with an annual earning of US$3.5 million. A wax figure of Cyrus was unveiled at Madame Tussauds in New York City. In April 2008, Cyrus signed a contract to pen an autobiography reflecting on her life up to the age of 16. The memoir, called Miles To Go (ISBN 978-1-42-311992-0) was written with Hilary Liftin67 and was published by Disney-Hyperion Books in March 2009. The memoir discusses Cyrus' relationship with her father, her thoughts on the media, her love life, her future ambitions and milestones she still has to reach in her life.68 Miles to Go reached #1 on the New York Times children’s best seller list.69 An initial printing run of one million copies of Miles to Go is planned. In August 2009, Cyrus teamed with Max Azria to create a line of junior and girls' separates available only at Walmart.71 Cyrus' released her EP The Time of Our Lives in conjunction with the line and Walmart dedicated a page to the designers.72 The line consists of vests, tie-dye tank tops, dresses, and plaids. Critics claimed the clothes were "completely inoffensive but totally snoozeworthy"73 and "benign",71 but admited that "it's the generic that sells, regardless of whether it has Hannah Montana's name on it" and predicted they would be high sellers.[ Writing Cyrus wrote an autobiography called Miley Cyrus;Miles to go. The book made the best sellers list.needed Philanthropy Cyrus has lent her musical talents to several charity benefits. Cyrus collaborated with fourteen other female singers to record a charity single titled "Just Stand Up!", which the singers performed live during a one-hour primetime event for the anti-cancer campaign Stand Up to Cancer on September 5, 2008.74 On September 14, 2008, Cyrus, along with other performers, performed at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California for the City of Hope Benefit Concert to help raise money for cancer research and training programs.75 Cyrus celebrated her 16th birthday with a charity fundraiser at Disneyland, which was closed early for the event attended by 5,000 fans at $250 per ticket.76 The proceeds went to the charity Youth Service America, a youth volunteering organization.777879 Ten outstanding youth volunteers from Youth Service America were invited to attend,80 and later in the evening, Cyrus presented a $1 million check to the organization.81 In 2007, Cyrus made a large contribution to the City of Hope, giving $1 for every "Hannah Montana" concert ticket sold. She said that "the cool thing about being a part of City of Hope is that they are a cancer research center. They're not only helping kids that are there, but also finding out how they can heal them by figuring out what exactly is going on, which is amazing."82 Cyrus is involved in Disney's Friends for Change, an organization which promotes environmently-friendly behavior, and appears in the service's public service announcements to raise awareness for the cause on the Disney Channel.83 In addition, she joined fellow Disney stars Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, and the Jonas Brothers, to record "Send It On", a charity single which serves as the theme song for Disney's Friends for Change. Send it On debuted on the Hot 100 at number twenty.8485 Disney will direct 100% of the proceeds from "Send it On" to environmental charities through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF).84 Personal life Cyrus with dancers Ashlee Nino and best friend, Mandy Jiroux. In January 2008, Cyrus announced her intent to officially change her name to "Miley Ray Cyrus," her middle name reflecting that of her father.86 The name change became official on May 1, 2008.1 In an interview with USA Today, Cyrus was quoted as saying her faith is "the main thing" and is the reason why she works in Hollywood.87 When interviewed by Parade, she added that she attends church regularly with her family.23 In an interview with Christianity Today, Billy Ray Cyrus said, "Being Christian, we believe in heaven," and "We also had a great church, and when you give up your church, your pastor, and the community you are involved in, you're making a big sacrifice. Let's face it, Hollywood is a completely different environment than Franklin, Tennessee."88 In February 2008, Cyrus and her friend Mandy Jiroux (who is also a backup dancer for Cyrus) began creating videos on YouTube called The Miley and Mandy Show. The show, described as a "YouTube hit," is said to be filmed for fun by Cyrus and Jiroux and to be entirely their work, with Cyrus and Jiroux editing the footage together. It is filmed mainly in Cyrus' bedroom.89 In the September 2008 issue of Seventeen, Cyrus stated she had been in a relationship with Nick Jonas for two years, and that the two "were in love." They broke up at the end of 2007.90 In June 2009, Cyrus ended a nine month long relationship with Nashville Star contestant and model Justin Gaston.91 Controversies Vanity Fair photos On April 25, 2008, the televised entertainment program Entertainment Tonight reported that Cyrus had posed topless for a photoshoot with Vanity Fair.The photo, and subsequently released behind-the-scenes photos, show Cyrus with her bare back exposed but her front covered with a bedsheet. The photoshoot was taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz.93 The full photograph was published with an accompanying story on The New York Times' website on April 27, 2008. On April 29, 2008, The New York Times clarified that though the pictures left an impression that she was bare-breasted, Cyrus was wrapped in a bedsheet and was actually not topless.94 Some parents expressed outrage at the nature of the photograph, which a Disney spokesperson described as "a situation that was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines." Gary Marsh, president of entertainment for Disney Channel Worldwide, was quoted by Portfolio magazine to have said, “For Miley Cyrus to be a ‘good girl’ is now a business decision for her. Parents have invested in her a godliness. If she violates that trust, she won’t get it back.”94 Branding consultants John Tantillo and Michael Stone appeared on Fox Business News to discuss possible repercussions for Cyrus' brand and her best marketing strategy going forward. In response to the Internet circulation of the photo and ensuing media attention, Cyrus released a statement of apology on April 27, 2008: "I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be 'artistic' and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed. I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about." Leibovitz also released a statement: "I'm sorry that my portrait of Miley has been misinterpreted. The photograph is a simple, classic portrait, shot with very little makeup, and I think it is very beautiful." On April 28, 2008, Vanity Fair published their full interview and photo shoot with Cyrus and her father Billy Ray Cyrus, as well as the behind-the-scenes photographs, on their website. According to the interview, Cyrus' parents and/or minders were present during the entire duration of the photo shoot. The idea to pose with the sheets on was suggested by Leibovitz. When asked if she were "anxious" about the pose, Cyrus stated to interviewer Bruce Handy: "No, I mean I had a big blanket on. And I thought, this looks pretty, and really natural. I think it's really artsy. It wasn't in a skanky way.... And you can't say no to Annie. She's so cute. She gets this puppy-dog look and you're like, okay. On December 2, 2008, TV Guide reported that Cyrus is interested in working with Leibovitz again in the future and is even considering a career in photography for herself, "That's what I want to do with my life. I would love to be a photographer... I want to come to London to study. I hear there are some great art schools here so I would love to do that. 2009 Teen Choice Awards performance Main article: Party in the U.S.A.#Live performances Cyrus performed "Party in the U.S.A." at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards on August 10, and incited controversy due to the performance themes. Critics of the performance complained that she danced provocatively, performed along on a dance pole that was on top of an ice-cream pushcart and that one theme seemed to be her poking fun at American culture. Some drew negative similarities to Britney Spears; meanwhile Cyrus welcomed them. Others defended Cyrus, saying that people should not be focused on still images that make the performance more sexual than it really was, instead of her earning six awards. The Walt Disney Company tried to maintain distance from the performance; however, a spokesman did mention that those values are not encouraged by Disney Channel.